


Destiny

by makkurataichou



Category: Tales of Zestiria
Genre: Inspired by Art, M/M, Tsubasa Chronicle AU, i love this au so much, maybe even shorter, this is probably gonna be a three-shot
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-09-04
Updated: 2016-09-10
Packaged: 2018-08-12 21:03:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,118
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7949113
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/makkurataichou/pseuds/makkurataichou
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A priest-in-training, and a boy from another dimension. This is a story of two people who dared to challenge their fate. Tsubasa Chronicle AU.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. I Will Protect You

Sorey looked up at the boy standing before him. His eyes were a striking shade of violet, and he was draped in ceremonial garb. A veil rested atop his head and covered his shoulders, dripping with water.

“Are you alright?” he asked, sounding concerned. “I apologize again for not helping you. During my cleansing ceremony, I am not meant to touch anyone until I have been purified.”

“Purified?” Sorey got to his feet. “Why do you need to be purified?” he asked, tilting his head to one side. “You look clean to me.”

The boy’s brows furrowed. “I...am meant to succeed my mother as priest of Elysia. Once the ritual is complete, I will be able to banish demons and protect our country, just as she has done for many years.”

“Elysia? Demons?” Sorey scratched his head, confused. He was hearing a lot of words that he did not recognize. “You’re soaking wet!” he finally declared after deciding that it was the only thing that made sense. “Why’re you standing in the water? You’ll catch a cold!”

“I-I told you already, I’m being _purified_ —”

“Can’t you do it somewhere _dry_? Like in a park...or at the convenience store!”

“...park? Convenience...?” It was the boy’s turn to be confused. “I don’t know what you speak of, but these ruins are sacred. They have stood here in Elysia for many centuries. All priests and priestesses in training are sent here - only the royal family is allowed inside.”

Sorey’s eyes grew wide. “So...you’re a prince!” he exclaimed, taking a big step back. “Wow, I’m talking to a real prince...the prince of Eliz...uh...Iz...—”

“E-ly-si-a,” the boy repeated slowly. “How strange that you don’t recognize the name of the capital of seraphim. And you just _appeared_ here too...could it be that you’re from another dimension?”

Sorey gasped. “I-I’m not supposed to say anything about that!” he cried, sticking his arms out in front of him and shaking his head. “Oh, no, wait I messed up...! Ugh, this is so hard...” he sighed, leaning against a wall and sliding downwards until he was finally on the floor.

The boy walked up to him, kneeling down when he was just a few feet away. “Traveler, “ he began. “You never told me your name.”

“Me?” Sorey gestured towards himself. “I’m Sorey. What’s _your_ name?”

The boy stood up and puffed up his chest with pride. “I am Mikleo, first prince of Elysia,” he declared, lifting the veil from atop his head and draping it across his shoulders. “On behalf of my mother, I welcome you to my home.”

Sorey’s eyes sparkled with excitement. “That’s so cool,” he whispered. “Can I meet your family too?”

Mikleo frowned, though it looked more like a pout. “Outsiders are not usually allowed inside the palace...” he thought out loud. “But they might make an exception for you, since you aren’t from this world. And besides—”

He looked Sorey directly in the eye. “I want to know more about you and your world,” he continued. “How you came here, and why.”

Sorey bit his lip. “Hmm...my father sent me here. He’s a really, _really_ powerful magician, and he’s helped all kinds of people!”

“Hm. So magic exists in your dimension as well.”

He nodded. “Yup! And...before I left, he told me that there was someone here I needed to protect, no matter what.”

Mikleo looked surprised. “Protect? From what?”

“I...don’t know...” Sorey trailed off. “...but, if he sent me here directly...it must mean that I’m supposed to protect you!”

The young prince’s cheeks turned red. “I-I don’t know why you would need to protect me!” he blurted out. “I can do magic too! I’m not weak!”

“But I have a sword,” Sorey said simply, reaching behind him and pulling out a small, intricately carved wooden sword from its holster on his back. “It won’t kill anyone, but it sure would hurt if I hit someone with it!” he offered with a grin.

“I suppose that’s true,” Mikleo agreed. “But...how can you protect someone you can’t even touch...?”

Sorey thought for a moment, then shrugged. “I guess...I could just go everywhere with you. Like a bodyguard!”

Mikleo let out a short laugh. “I’ve had my bodyguards chasing after me for _years_ now,” he teased. “Do you think you could keep up?”

“I...I could try!”

He looked determined; it was impossible to say no to such an earnest expression. Finally, Mikleo relented. “I guess, if it’s just for six more days...I’ll ask my mother.”

“Alright!” Sorey punched the air with his fist. “I’ll be a great bodyguard, Mikleo, just you wait.”

Not many people referred to the prince by his first name; the familiarity with which Sorey addressed him took him by surprise. “Let’s just go,” he huffed, walking past Sorey and up the spiral staircase behind them. “My training for the day is over, anyway. Follow me.”

Sorey obediently followed him up the stairs and through a series of large chambers, the likes of which he had never seen in his entire life. The carvings on the walls and ceiling filled him with awe, and he struggled to keep up with Mikleo while trying to admire the ruins.

When they finally made it outside, Sorey gasped. Before him lay a vast expanse of desert, stretching as far as the eye could see. He could see several stone monoliths scattered about in the distance, and turned around to admire the exterior of the ruin they had just stepped out of. A pair of pillars towered high above him, shaped almost like wings. They curved inward to face each other, and he marveled at how beautiful they looked against the setting sun.

“Elysia is that way,” Mikleo said, interrupting his thoughts. He followed the prince’s outstretched hand and saw a large, glittering city, encased in a partial dome. Sorey’s jaw dropped - it was _breathtaking_. He could hardly believe that it was real.

So many things had happened that day. He had _actually_ made it to another dimension. Now he would finally be able to grant his father’s wish. He knew that his father had initially been against the idea, but even during his protests, Sorey had seen a faint glimmer of hope in his eyes, and that had been enough for him to make his decision. They both knew the consequences...but Sorey would do anything for his family. He would do _anything_ to keep a smile on his father’s face.

“If you’re the one I’m supposed to protect, Mikleo, I’ll protect you,” Sorey whispered to himself, keeping his eyes trained on the prince’s back. A soft smile played upon his lips. “I _promise_.”

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sorey meets the High Priestess of Elysia; the two boys learn a little more about each other.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's so hard to end chapters sometimes................

The High Priestess of Elysia was waiting in the palace dining room when the two boys walked in. Sorey still struggled to keep up as he was constantly distracted by the beauty of his surroundings. He did not even realize that she was there until Mikleo suddenly came to a halt in front of him.

“I’m home, mother,” he announced politely. Sorey peered past him and saw a tall woman standing there, also clad in intricate ceremonial garb. A hood was pulled over her head, and her long, brown hair was thrown over her shoulder in a simple braid. She smiled warmly.

“Welcome home, Mikleo. Who is your friend?” she asked, glancing over the white-haired boy’s shoulder and making eye contact with Sorey, who flushed instantly.

Mikleo cleared his throat. “This is a traveler I met in the ruins. His name is Sorey. He came here from another dimension.”

“M-Mikleo! You’re not supposed to tell anyone!” Sorey exclaimed, then clapped his hands over his own mouth. He had never been inside a palace before, or in the company of royalty...what if he had been disrespectful?!

But when he looked up to meet the woman’s gaze again, she was still smiling. It was a peaceful smile - her violet eyes were calm, yet showed a trace of amusement, and Sorey felt his confidence increase slightly.

“Um, I...I’m going to protect your son!” he blurted out, standing up straighter and holding his head high. “My father sent me here on a mission, and I need to make sure it’s completed!”

She let out a soft laugh. “Is that so?” she asked, walking up to him and placing a gentle hand on his head. She closed her eyes, and Sorey felt a momentary warmth atop his head before she pulled her hand away.

“You seem like a kind boy, Sorey,” she told him. “Very well, I leave my son in your care. Watch over him for me, okay?”

Sorey’s cheeks turned pink with embarrassment. “...okay,” he said with a small, hesitant nod. Behind them, Mikleo cleared his throat again.

“It’s getting late, mother. Sorey will need a place to stay.”

“Ah, yes.” She thought for a moment. “Should I prepare a guest room for you? We have plenty of spare rooms here at the palace.”

The idea of having his own room in a palace was exciting, but...“If it’s alright...could I stay in Mikleo’s room?” He twiddled his thumbs and looked down at his feet. “I know I’m not allowed to touch him, but I still promised I wouldn’t leave his side...”

“Sorey, you don’t have to be so literal,” Mikleo said with a pout and a blush upon his cheeks. “I won’t be going anywhere in my sleep!”

“B-but I promised! What if something comes for you in the middle of the night? If I’m not there—”

“Now, now,” the High Priestess began, gaining their attention. “I will arrange for a spare bed to be placed in Mikleo’s room. Will that be alright with both of you?”

While Mikleo muttered a soft “sure”, Sorey smiled widely. “Yes! Thank you miss High Priestess!”

She laughed again. “Call me Muse,” she replied with a gentle smile of her own. “Now, go clean up. It’s almost time for dinner.”

Both boys nodded in unison.

“My room is this way,” Mikleo declared as he ran towards the entryway and gestured for Sorey to follow. Despite his earlier hesitance, there appeared to be a spring in his step and excitement in his eyes, and that alone made an unknown, yet happy feeling stir within Sorey’s heart.

“Okay!” he yelled, and followed suit. The two of them ran down the hallway, and Muse watched them go with a wistful expression on her face.

“It seems as though my son has finally met his destined one.”

* * *

“Woooow, you can see _all_ the stars from here!”

Sorey stared out the large window in Mikleo’s room, admiring the sky that stretched above the desert. It was like a beaded veil had been cast to the heavens, sparkling above all of Elysia and protecting its residents.

From his place on his bed, Mikleo smiled and put down the book he had been reading. “What do the stars look like in your world, Sorey?” he asked.

“I guess they’re about the same...” Sorey replied, refusing to tear his gaze away from the view. “I’ve never seen this many without a telescope, though. My father and I love to stargaze, so we go camping a lot.”

“...camping?”

“Yup! It’s when you go outside the city to a forest, or the ocean, and you stay there for a few days!”

Mikleo was shocked. “But...can you bring your bed? Where do you get food? What about...” he trailed off, before whispering, “ _bathrooms_?”

Sorey hummed in thought. “Sometimes they have bathrooms...and you can bring food with you, or make food where you camp! You have to sleep in a tent, though...it’s like a...um...a thing with sticks...like this—” He lifted his arms above his head and tried to mimic the shape of a tent, but he lost his balance and nearly fell back on his own bed.

The prince nodded seriously, ignoring Sorey as he scrambled to sit upright. “A tent...I see,” he wondered out loud. “This... _camping_ activity sounds interesting.” His eyes grew sad. “I would like to try it for myself, but I cannot leave Elysia.”

Sorey leaned forward as far as he could without falling off his bed. “Why can’t you leave?”

“As the first prince, and as a priest in training, I need to stay here to maintain the barrier.” Mikleo’s unwavering gaze met Sorey’s as he continued. “The world outside is full of malevolence, and creatures called hellions prey on every living thing they see. The barrier is the only thing that can keep them out of Elysia...and once I inherit the same power as my mother, I will be able to continue her task.”

“The High Priestess?” Sorey frowned. “She can do that all by herself? Protect such a big city?”

Mikleo nodded. “Yes. Only the royal family is allowed to inherit the power to do it, and...” He paused, placing a hand against his heart. “My mother...is sick. She may not be able to maintain the barrier for long, and if something were to happen to her...I have to take over.”

The other boy’s eyes grew wide. “B-but Mikleo, you can’t do that all by yourself—”

“—I _have_ to. It’s my duty.”

“But...you’re just a kid!”

“You’re a kid too, Sorey,” the prince countered. “And yet, here you are in another dimension, willing to put your life on the line for someone you barely know.”

“I-I’m doing this for my father...—”

“Do you really think that’s what he _wants_?!” Mikleo cried, throwing his hands up in the air. “ To send his only child away to another dimension, to risk never seeing him again? Do you really think my mother wants _me_ to throw away _my_ life?!”

He clenched his fists. “All priests die young. They use up all their power trying to maintain the barrier, and it kills them. Everyone in Elysia knows that...and yet we keep up this _stupid_ ritual, sacrificing priest after priest for the sake of the _greater good_...and it brings us no closer to stopping the malevolence from spreading!”

“Mikleo...” Sorey reached out towards the prince, but caught himself at the last minute, remembering his promise.

Tears spilled from Mikleo’s violet eyes, running down his cheeks and dripping onto his nightshirt. “Eizen...Edna...” he sobbed. “Why do more people need to _die_? Why does my _mother_ have to die? Why do I—” He rubbed his eyes, but the tears kept coming. “I-I have hopes, and dreams, and wishes too...so _why_ does it have to be this way—”

Suddenly, he was surrounded by warmth. A blanket was wrapped around him from behind, covering him from head to toe, until only his bangs and his face were visible. Then, he felt a pair of arms squeezing him lightly, pulling him closer to a warm body and bringing his head to rest upon a shoulder no bigger than his own. Looking up through bleary eyes, he could barely make out Sorey’s smiling face.

“S-Sorey...” he choked out. “Why...”

“My father used to do this for me all the time when I was sad,” came the simple reply. “You looked like you needed it.”

Mikleo curled himself into a ball. “I really am just a kid...crying about something so stupid,” he sniffled, wiping his nose on his sleeve. “I’m sorry you had to see me like this.”

He felt Sorey shake his head. “It isn’t stupid...you’re right, Mikleo. And so am I. We’re both just kids...we have lives we wanna live, and it’s not fair that our friends and family have to die...but we have people counting on us too, right? So we have to do what’s best for everyone.”

In that moment, Sorey sounded more mature than Mikleo could ever have anticipated. He was ashamed of his own immaturity. “I really must’ve sounded like a spoiled brat,” he whispered, pulling the blanket closer to his chest.

Sorey shook his head again. “This whole situation...I know it’s your _duty_ to protect your people, but it still isn’t right. Adults like to use words like “fate” or “destiny”...they try to convince us that the people who die were always meant to die...but I don’t believe in that stuff.”

“Y-you don’t?”

“Nope.” He turned his head to look out the window again, a wistful smile on his face. “My father lost someone important to him, too. He believed that he couldn’t change his fate...but he always seemed so sad. So I decided that I wanted to help him. I made a wish to come here...to find _my_ destiny and to change _his_. He didn’t think it was possible, but in the end...he couldn’t say no.”

Mikleo frowned and wriggled out of Sorey’s grip, scooting away from him slightly. “I...I didn’t realize...” he admitted. “I don’t even know where you come from, and what your circumstances are,” he said softly, meeting Sorey’s gaze again. “I may have been misjudging you this whole time...I’m sorry.”

Sorey grinned. “You don’t have to keep apologizing, Mikleo! It’s alright, really!”

“Then...” Mikleo’s cheeks turned pink. “I guess I should say what my mother always taught me to say, instead.”

He stood up and turned to face Sorey, tugging the blanket along with him. “Thank you,” he whispered, a shy smile tugging at the corners of his lips. “Thank you for understanding...and for being here.”

An inexplicable warmth overcame Sorey when he heard Mikleo’s heartfelt words. “You’re welcome...” he replied, both unable and unwilling to say any more. His heart fluttered lightly within his chest; he did not understand why, and yet it felt so _achingly familiar_...

_‘I knew when I met him. I could feel in my heart...that the two of us were meant to be together.’_

His father’s words echoed in his mind as he lay in bed later that night, still gazing at the stars. Mikleo was already fast asleep, and Sorey listened to the sound of his even breathing as it filled the room.

He had never really thought to ask his father about the person he had lost. What kind of person had they been? Who had managed to sway his usually-reserved father’s heart? There were so many questions that he had wanted to ask, but he had never found the time...or the courage to do so. He felt a mixture of regret and confusion welling up inside him.

“Dad...” he whispered. “When you met your precious person...your one and only...is this what it felt like?”

Only silence answered him as he closed his eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The scene where Sakura teaches Syaoran to say "thank you" instead of "sorry" is something that really stuck with me when I first read Tsubasa. I still keep that advice close to my heart <3

**Author's Note:**

> This is based off sky-clover's artwork on Tumblr! We REALLY fell in love with this AU <3


End file.
